Umbilical separator for rockets



1953 J. E. WEBB, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE 3, ,672.

NATIoNAI. AERoNAuTIcs AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION UMBILICAL SEPARATOR FORROCKETS Filed March 7, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG: 5'

AK. Faesyn/E BY Dec. 3, 1963 J. E. WEBB, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ,1

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION UMBILICAL SEPARATOR FORROCKETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 7, 1962 INVENTOR. K Fo/zsymeATTO/QA/E 5 United States Patent 3,112,672 UMBILICAL SEPARATOR FORROCKETS James E; Webb, Administrator of the National Aeronautics andSpace Administration, with respect to an invention of Alan K. ForsytheFiled Mar. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 180,396 Claims. (Cl. 89-1.7)

This invention relates to umbilical separators for rockets and includedin the objects of this invention are: First, to provide an umbilicalseparator for rockets whereby the various electrical connectors andfluid couplings may be quickly and dependably separated simultaneouslyon command. i Second, to provide anumbilical separator for rockets whichutilizes one of the pressure fluid lines connected to the rocket as asource of energy to operate the separator, and a series of piston andcylinder units adapted to be connected thereto upon opening on remotecommand, a solenoid valve.

Third, to provide an umbilical separator for rockets wherein the pistonand cylinder units operate thrust pins in unison and are sointerconnected that all thrust pins are forced to move equal distancesirrespective of the relative loads imposed on the pins so thattheseparator does not twist a cant to bind the connectors or couplings asthey are being separated.

Fourth, to provide an umbilical separator for rockets which permits theuse of conventional multiple conductor electrical connectors, andconventional fluid couplings of the type which may be separated withoutloss of fluid, and also permits these connectors and couplings to bearranged or grouped in any convenient manner.

With the above and other objects in view as. may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of the umbilical separator shown attachedto a rocket, the rocket wall being indicated by broken lines, and with arepresentative electrical connectorand fluid coupling shown in position,the remaining connectors and fluid coupling being .omitted.

FIGURE 2'is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 1,

but showing the umbilicalseparator separated from the rocket. 7

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatical view showing the parts in their initialcondition corresponding to FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an outer side view of the umbilical separator with thevarious electrical connectors omitted and with portions broken away toShow underlying structure.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through 55 of FIGURE4 showing the solenoid valve for supplying pressure fluid to theseparator.

The umbilical separator includes a mounting plate 1 having a pluralityof screwthreaded openings 2 to accommodate the removable components 3 ofvarious conventional multiple conductor electrical connectors, the fixedcomponents '4 of which are secured in the wall 5 of a rocket.

In addition, the mounting plate 1 is provided with openings -6 whichaccommodate the removable components 7 of various conventional fluidcouplings through which gas or liquids are supplied to the rocket. Theremovable components 7 are joined to fixed components 8 secured in thewall 5 of the rocket.

The couplings are of the type which separate by rela- 3,112,672!Patented Dec. 3.,

tive axial movement and, typical of this form of conventional coupling,a locking sleeve 9 is provided which cooperates with key balls 10 tolock the components together. The sleeve 9 is axially movable a shortdistance to free the key balls so that the coupling components may bereleased. The couplings are also of the typewherein one or bothcomponents seal upon separation.

Located between the mounting plate :1 and the wall 5 of the rocket is arelease plate 11 having clearance holes 12 for the electrical connectorsand accommodation holes in which the locking sleeves 9 are secured. Therelease plate 11 is guided for limited movement with respect to themounting plate 1 by pins 13 secured in the mounting plate which alsoserve to dispose the mounting plate, connectors and couplings in properrelation to the wall 5 of the rocket.

Secured in equally spaced relation about the periphery of the releaseplate 11 is a plurality of cylinders 14. Four cylinders are shown;however, more or less may be provided, depending upon the size of themounting plate and release plate needed to accommodate the variousconnectors and couplings. Each cylinder receives a piston 15, and a stem16-. The stems 16 are adapted to protrude from the ends of the cylinders14 remote from. the mounting plate 1, and when thrust outwardly fromtheir respective cylinders, to force the umbilical separator free of therocket.

The ends of the four cylinders 14 confronting the mounting plate 1 areprovided with caps 17, which, initially, are spaced slightly from themounting plate. Each stem is sealed with respect to its cylinder so thateach cylinder is divided by its piston 15 into two sealed compartments18 and 19, each compartment 18 being between a piston v15 and cap 17 andeach'compar'tment 19 surrounding a stem 16.

The four cylinders are joined in series by connecting lines 20; that isthe compartment 19 of the first cylinder is connected to compartment 18of the succeedingcylinder. The compartment 19 of the last cylinder isopen to atmosphere; whereas the compartments interconnected. by thelines 20 are completely filled with a liquid.

Still further, the cylinders and pistons are graduated in size; that is,the compartment 19' around the stem 16 of the preceding cylinder isequal in area to the area of the compartment 18 above the piston of asucceeding cylinder. As a consequence, a given displacement of thepiston in the first cylinder causes equal displacement of the pistons inthe succeeding cylinders.

The cap 17 of the first or initial cylinder is provided with a shaft 21which projects through the mounting plate 1 and into a sleeve 22 securedthereon. Theshaft 21 is provided with a passageway 23 leading: from thechamber 18 of the first cylinder to a location. within the sleeve 22between spaced seals 24. 5

The removable component 7 of one of the couplings is joined to a valveblock 25 secured to the mounting plate 1. The valve block is providedwith a passageway 26 in which is interposed a solenoid valve 27 which isnormally closed. A line 27a connects the downstream end of thepassageway 26 with the sleeve 22 between the seals 24.

Operation of the umbilical separator is as follows:

When it is desired to cast off the various umbilical connections to arocket immediately prior to launching, the solenoid valve is energizedon remote command to open the selected pressure line to chamber 18 'ofthe initial 3 cylinder. The pressure is transmitted through the liquidwhich series connects the cylinders so that all stems 16 are moved. Byreason of the equal areas between preceding and succeeding chambers 19and 18, the stems 16 move equal distances. More particularly, the stems16 are forced to move equal distances even if the resistance encounteredby the stems should be unequal. The ap plied pressure is, of course,sufficiently high to insure an operating force Well above that requiredto separate all the connectors and couplings.

It will be noted that the release plate 11 and cylinders 14 are capableof limited movement before the caps 17 engage the mounting plate 1. Thislimited movement is utilized to shift the locking sleeves 9 of thevarious couplings to free the key balls 10 so that the couplings may beseparated. Further movement of the cylinders as the stems '16 push awayfrom the rocket cause the mounting plate to disconnect all of theconnectors and couplings as shown in FIGURE 2.

While what hereinbefore has been described as the preferred embodimentof this invention, it is readily apparent that alterations andmodifications may be resorted to without departing from the scope ofthis invention and such alterations and modifications are intended to beincluded within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an umbilical separator for rockets, the combination with aplurality of electrical connectors and fluid couplings for separablecomponents carried respectively by the rocket wall and a common mountingplate, of:

a plurality of piston and cylinder units each having an extensible stem,each unit defining major and minor chambers at opposite sides of itspiston said units being positioned to force said mounting plate awayfrom said rocket wall upon extension of said stems;

liquid filled conduits connecting the minor chamber of a preceding unitwith the major chamber of a succeeding unit, the effective areas of saidconnected chambers being equal, whereby on movement of the piston in thefirst of said units causes equal movement of the pistons in succeedingunits;

and a valve means responsive to remote command for operativelyconnecting one of the fluid coupling components carried by said mountingplate with said first unit, thereby to extend said stems and force saidmounting plate and separable components carried thereby from said rocketwall.

2. The combination with a rocket having a plurality of fixed electricalconnectors and fluid coupling components secured in a wall thereof, andmating separable components joined to umbilical lines for initialconnection with said fixed components, of an umbilical separator,comprising:

a mounting plate adapted to support said separable components;

a normally closed pressure fluid control valve responsive to remotecommand and carried by said mounting plate;

a series of piston and cylinder units including extensible stems, saidunits being positioned to force said mounting plate away from saidrocket wall on extension of said stems;

and liquid filled conduits series connecting said units, the effectiveareas of said units being so proportioned that movement of the pistonand stem of an initial unit causes essentially identical movement of thestems of the other units, said initial unit being operatively connectedwith said valve to extend said stems and force said mounting plate andcomponents carried thereby free of said rocket wall.

3. The combination with a rocket having a plurality of fixed electricalconnector components and fluid coupling components in a wall thereof andmating separable components joined to umbilical lines for initialconnections to said fixed components, wherein the separable fluidcoupling components include locking means axially movable to unlock theseparable fluid coupling components from the fixed components thereof,said umbilical separator comprising:

a mounting plate adapted to support said separable components; anormally closed pressure fluid control valve responsive to remotecommand and carried by said mounting plate;

a release plate disposed between said mounting plate and said rocketwall and connected to said locking means to effect unlocking movementthereof;

and expansible means carried by said release plate and engageable withsaid mounting plate after a predetermined free movement, said expansiblemeans being operatively connected with said valve for thrustingengagement with said rocket wall to cause unlocking movement of saidlocking means and thereafter engage said mounting plate to force saidmounting plate and the components carried thereby away from said rocketwall.

4. The combination with a rocket having a plurality of fixed electricalconnector components and fluid coupling components in a wall thereof andmating separable components joined to umbilical lines for initialconnections to said fixed components, wherein the separable fluidcoupling components include locking means axially movable to unlock theseparable fluid coupling components from the fixed components thereof,said umbilical separator comprising:

a mounting plate adapted to support said separable components;

a normally closed pressure fluid control valve responsive to remotecommand and carried by said mounting plate;

a release plate disposed between said mounting plate and said rocketwall and connected to said locking means to eflfect unlocking movementthereof;

and a plurality of piston and cylinder units carried by said releaseplate and including extensible stems adapted to thrust against saidrocket wall, said units being initially responsive to said valve toeffect movement of said release plate to free said locking means andthereafter to thrust said mounting plate and components carried therebyaway from said rocket wa l.

5. The combination with a rocket having a plurality of fixed electricalconnector components and fluid coupling components in a wall thereof andmating separable components joined to umbilical lines for initialconnections to said fixed components, wherein the separable fluidcoupling components include locking means axially movable to unlock theseparable fluid coupling components from the fixed components thereof,said umbilical separator comprising:

a mounting plate adapted to support said separable components;

a normally closed pressure fluid control valve responsive to remotecommand and carried by said mounting plate;

a release plate disposed between said mounting plate and said rocketwall and connected to said locking means to effect unlocking movementthereof;

a series of piston and cylinder units equally spaced about the peripheryof said release plate and including stems for thrust engagement withsaid rocket wall to move said release plate and mounting plate outwardlytherefrom, there being free movement between said plates whereby saidrelease plate has a predetermined travel before movement of saidmounting plate;

and liquid filled conduits series connecting said units, the effectiveareas of said units being so proportioned that movement of the pistonand stem of an initial unit causes essentially identical movement of theReferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS INowak Dec. 23, 1952 Fletcher Jan. 18, 1955' Dupre et a1. June 7, 1955Herold Mar. 13, 1962

1. IN AN UMBILICAL SEPARATOR FOR ROCKETS, THE COMBINATION WITH APLURALITY OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS AND FLUID COUPLINGS FOR SEPARABLECOMPONENTS CARRIED RESPECTIVELY BY THE ROCKET WALL AND A COMMON MOUNTINGPLATE, OF: A PLURALITY OF PISTON AND CYLINDER UNITS EACH HAVING ANEXTENSIBLE STEM, EACH UNIT DEFINING MAJOR AND MINOR CHAMBERS AT OPPOSITESIDES OF ITS PISTON SAID UNITS BEING POSITIONED TO FORCE SAID MOUNTINGPLATE AWAY FROM SAID ROCKET WALL UPON EXTENSION OF SAID STEMS; LIQUIDFILLED CONDUITS CONNECTING THE MINOR CHAMBER OF A PRECEDING UNIT WITHTHE MAJOR CHAMBER OF A SUCCEEDING UNIT, THE EFFECTIVE AREAS OF SAIDCONNECTED CHAMBERS BEING EQUAL, WHEREBY ON MOVEMENT OF THE PISTON IN THEFIRST OF SAID UNITS CAUSES EQUAL MOVEMENT OF THE PISTONS IN SUCCEEDINGUNITS; AND A VALVE MEANS RESPONSIVE TO REMOTE COMMAND FOR OPERATIVELYCONNECTING ONE OF THE FLUID COUPLING COMPONENTS CARRIED BY SAID MOUNTINGPLATE WITH SAID FIRST UNIT, THEREBY TO EXTEND SAID STEMS AND FORCE SAIDMOUNTING PLATE AND SEPARABLE COMPONENTS CARRIED THEREBY FROM SAID ROCKETWALL.